Northern Dancer was an extraordinary horse who captured Canada’s spirit and inspired immense national pride. Northern Dancer, whose heart and spirit transcended his size, remains one of the greatest Thoroughbreds in history — a legend whose legacy continues to inspire generations.

April Dawn Ray, age 42, of Victoria, British Columbia passed away on Saturday, November 2, 2024.

In 2017, we celebrated Canada’s 150th anniversary with stories of 20 exceptional horses that have reflected our values and fired our national pride. One of those horses was Big Ben.

When you create clear, realistic riding goals and take steady steps toward them, you’re far more likely to see results. Putting those goals in writing helps make them stick—it’s a promise you make to yourself. This season, consider focusing on your body position to become a more balanced, effective rider.

While equine herpesvirus (EHV) is typically associated with respiratory illness in young equine athletes, it can also have devastating consequences for breeding operations. As foaling season approaches, it’s important for horse owners to understand the risks EHV poses to broodmares. Dr. Tracey Chenier, an associate professor of theriogenology at the Ontario Veterinary College, provides insights on the prevalence of the virus and strategies breeders can use to protect their mares.

Accomplished show jumper, horse trainer, and resident rider at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Alberta, Brian Morton’s defines collection as "the shortening of the horse's outline and stride, with increased impulsion and engagement from the hind end." He emphasizes that "If you are not able to shorten your horse’s stride, you will never be able to get a horse to fit a stride into a line that is set short. And, if you lose the impulsion when you shorten the stride, you will never be able to produce a powerful round jumping effort off a short distance.”

After a long day at work, you finally arrive at the barn, eager to unwind and spend time with your horse. But as soon as you enter the tack room, you’re greeted with chaos. Fallen off its bar is your saddle pad from yesterday, still moist and now dirty from the floor. One of your gloves is missing, everything has a layer of horse hair, and the dust is causing your allergies to kick in. A disorderly tack room can quickly kill the mood and derail your ride before it even begins.

Managing Metabolic Challenges - For more than 95 years, Masterfeeds has formulated quality feeds targeted to the needs of Canadian horses. While the classic textured feeds reigned supreme historically, advances in equine health and nutrition have led us to improve formulas decade after decade, year after year to provide the best nutrition for all life stages and needs.

Our Miniature horse, Winston, likes to please us all the time, including in the winter when he likes to pull us for a ride. Winston is my wife Lyne’s horse. She has had horses throughout her adult life and likes a multi-discipline horse that will do dressage, tricks, jump, go for long free-walks in the morning, and also pull a little sleigh in the winter.